Stay safe in the sun
Sunscreen ingredients can be toxic
I can buy, in a chemist or drug store, potentially toxic
sunscreen, with ingredients that are known carcinogens and
alarmingly there is no warning labels even hinting at what is in
the tube! The Environmental Working Group tested over 1,600
sunscreens for a special report, July 2009, and found that three
out of five offer inadequate protection from the sun or actually
contain toxic ingredients, with significant safety
concerns.
What
is the answer to the sunshine and protecting one's
skin?
We do actually need some sun, 20 minutes of exposed skin a day is good, depending on your skin type.
Any more than twenty minutes in strong sun and it is well worth
covering up, wearing a hat, long sleeved shirt and if wearing a T
shirt and then using a good quality, pure sun protection cream,
devoid of oxybenzone, parabens, PEGs, TEA to name a few ingredients
I make a point of avoiding.
What else can I do to protect my skin in the sun?
Alongside creams there is mounting evidence that antioxidants are protective against sun damage to the skin. I certainly have noticed my skin more resilient, since eating a daily sachet of Berry Radical, as well as eating when in season, organic local greens, vegetables and fruits; which definitely help on the antioxidant score.
Butter, interestingly, is thought to have antioxidant
qualities, far better than margarine, which is a highly
processed substance often with synthetic vitamins added! I
think the phrase "butter is better" is
right! Coconut oil is also reported to have antioxidant
qualities due to the medium chain fatty acids, according to Dr Mary
Enig, co-author of 'Eat Fat, Lose Fat.'
If one is out in the sunshine all day then sunscreen is very wise,
and I use a Miessence Reflect
Outdoor Balm. It is a blend of certified organic
ingredients shea butter, beeswax, olive and jojoba seed oil and
rosemary essential oil. It is very nourishing and I find it
soaks in and provides great protection, that said even skiing I
find that through an improved diet I actually do not burn.
There are those that feel that cod liver oil makes a difference and
I use Blue Ice Fermented Cod Liver Oil, I do not take each and
every day but when I remember or more if I am feeling unwell- which
is very rare! I also make a point of using rosehip oil when I
nourish my face in the evening. Rosehip oil is reported to
have many rejenerative properties and I think it feels soft on the
skin.
So is there a future where synthetic chemicals products
carry a warning label, like cigarettes? I sincerely hope
so. Perhaps when enough of us realise what we use on our skin
can affect our wellness, we choose to raise awareness, alongside
creating a demand for cleaner products, I believe there is scope
for warning labels.
BUY REFLECT OUTDOOR BALM©Actual Organics 2010